Silo and delivery system for premixed dry mortar blends to batch mixers

Abstract

An improved silo and delivery system for efficiently handling dry mortar-blend compositions at construction sites is disclosed. Mortar-blend compositions are premixed to desired specifications and packaged at remote mixing stations into large bag containers that are transported to the construction site. A silo designed for uniquely servicing batch mixers is provided at the construction site for storing the premixed composition. The bag contents are emptied into the silo and are sealed therein against exposure to environmental elements. The silo contents are discharged by means of simple gravity flow on a batch-need basis into a batch mixer operatively underlying the silo.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable silo for storing and delivering premixed dry mortar-blend materials to an inlet port of a portable batch mixer apparatus of the type used at a construction site, comprising: (a) a silo chassis defining an inner cavity for retainably storing a charge of premixed dry mortar-blend material, comprising: (i) a sidewall portion extending between upper and lower ends and peripherally defining said inner cavity;   (ii) upper wall means cooperatively engaging said sidewall portion upper end for closing the inner cavity at its upper end, said upper wall means defining an inlet port opening into said inner cavity; and   (iii) lower wall means for closing the inner cavity at its lower end, said lower wall means defining an outlet port opening into said inner cavity;     (b) inlet means cooperatively connected with said upper wall means for selectively providing sealed closure and open access to said inner cavity through said inlet port;   (c) discharge means cooperatively connected with said lower wall means for selectively providing sealed closure and open access to said inner cavity through said outlet port; said discharge means being operable between closed and open positions; said discharge means when in said closed position being operable to sealingly close said outlet port of the inner cavity to prevent mortar-blend material within said inner cavity from passing through said outlet port and being operable between said closed and said open positions to enable measured amounts of mortar-blend material within said inner cavity to pass by gravity through said outlet port; and   (d) leg means operatively connected with said chassis for elevating said chassis above a support surface such that said discharge means operatively overlies an inlet port of a portable batch mixer supported by said support surface, said leg means being arranged and configured to allow the portable batch mixer to operatively stand therebetween; whereby material leaving said inner cavity through said discharge means falls by gravity into the inlet port of the batch mixer.   
     
     
       2. The portable silo as recited in claim 1, wherein said inlet means comprises a door member mounted to said upper wall for pivotally rotating between a closed position in sealing engagement with said upper wall to close said inlet port, and an open position to allow mortar-blend material to be introduced to said inner cavity through said inlet port. 
     
     
       3. The portable silo as recited in claim 1, wherein said discharge means includes an operator lever disposed adjacent said outlet port, said operator lever being movable between first and second positions and being operatively connected so as to cause said discharge means to move between said closed and said open positions as said lever moves between said first and said second positions. 
     
     
       4. The portable silo as recited in claim 3, wherein said operator lever is arranged and configured relative to said discharge means such that an operator can move said lever between said first and said second positions while directly observing the material flowing through said discharge means into the inlet port of the batch mixer. 
     
     
       5. The portable silo as recited in claim 1, wherein said discharge means includes a clam gate apparatus operatively connected to selectively open and close access through said outlet port into said inner cavity. 
     
     
       6. The portable silo as recited in claim 1, wherein said discharge means includes a flexible sleeve means operatively connected to direct material flowing by gravity through said outlet port to the inlet port of the batch mixer, for reducing scatter of the material during passage thereof between the chassis outlet port and the batch mixer inlet port. 
     
     
       7. The portable silo as recited in claim 1, further including lifting means for enabling said silo chassis to be portably lifted and moved. 
     
     
       8. The portable silo as recited in claim 7, wherein said lifting means includes spaced support members operatively connected to said silo chassis, said support members being spaced to cooperatively align with the lifting fork arms of standard forklift moving equipment. 
     
     
       9. The portable silo as recited in claim 7, wherein said lifting means includes hook members mounted to said silo chassis for enabling lifting of said chassis by a crane apparatus. 
     
     
       10. The portable silo as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said leg means is detachable from said silo chassis for enabling separate movement of said leg means and said silo chassis. 
     
     
       11. A system for delivering premixed dry mortar-blend compositions to a batch mixer apparatus at a construction site, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a premixed dry mortar-blend composition packaged in a carrying bag of the type having means adequate to support lifting of the bag when filled and having discharge means for enabling discharge of the bag contents by gravity when in a lifted position;   (b) providing a silo of the type having a sealable internal cavity suitable for retaining and storing a dry mortar-blend material, sealable upper inlet and lower discharge ports, and means for elevating the silo discharge port sufficiently to overlie the inlet port of a batch mixer when operatively positioned below said discharge port;   (c) elevating a bag of said premixed dry mortar-blend of step (a) in overlying relationship with said silo;   (d) discharging the mortar-blend contents of said elevated bag into the internal cavity of said silo through said silo upper inlet port;   (e) sealing the dry mortar-blend material within the silo internal cavity;   (f) cooperatively positioning a batch mixer relative to said silo such that said silo discharge port operatively overlies the inlet port of said batch mixer; and   (g) selectively discharging a portion of the silo contents by gravity through the silo discharge port, into the inlet port of the batch mixer.   
     
     
       12. The delivery system as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of selectively discharging the silo contents includes the step of discharging only so much of the mortar-blend material through said discharge port as is desired for any one mixing operation of the batch mixer. 
     
     
       13. The delivery system as recited in claim 11, further including the step of guidably directing the gravity flow of material from the silo discharge port to the inlet port of the batch mixer. 
     
     
       14. The delivery system as recited in claim 11, further including the step of guidably directing the gravity flow of material from the silo discharge port to the inlet port of the batch mixer by means of a flexible sleeve member through which said material flows. 
     
     
       15. The delivery system as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of selectively discharging the silo contents includes the steps of controlling the rate of opening and the degree and time for which said discharge port to said internal cavity is opened. 
     
     
       16. The delivery system as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of positioning a batch mixer relative to said silo comprises cooperatively positioning a batch mixer of the paddle wheel type relative to said silo. 
     
     
       17. The delivery system as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of selectively discharging said silo contents through said discharge port comprises the step of controllably moving the jaws of a clam gate member operatively disposed across said discharge port.